Cinnamon bun recipe – classic juicy buns with cinnamon & cardamom

4.9 / 524 wotings

Baking Swedish cinnamon buns at home is both simple and deeply satisfying. With this cinnamon bun recipe, you’ll get soft, airy buns with a rich cinnamon flavor and the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
The dough is flavored with cardamom, filled with a buttery cinnamon mixture, and finished with a shiny sugar glaze that gives the buns their signature golden look.

Cinnamon buns are an essential part of Swedish fika culture and are loved with coffee, at parties, or any time you want a sweet treat. The yeast dough rises beautifully, giving the buns a fluffy texture and rich flavor. With the right technique — folding and twisting the dough — your buns will be just as beautiful as they are delicious.

This recipe is perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers who want to make authentic Swedish cinnamon buns at home. Enjoy them freshly baked with pearl sugar on top or freeze them to warm later — they’re irresistible either way.

Servings

Total time

2,5 h

Ratings

4.92/5

Ingredients

Cinnamon buns
- 1.76 oz (50 g) fresh yeast
- 16.91 fl oz (5 dl) milk
- 7.05 oz (200 g) butter
- 5.07 fl oz (1,5 dl) powdered sugar
- 50.72 fl oz (15 dl) flour
- 1 tbsp cardamom
- 1 tsp salt
Filling
- 7.05 oz (200 g) butter
- 5.07 fl oz (1,5 dl) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Syrup
- 3.38 fl oz (1 dl) water
- 1.69 fl oz (0,5 dl) powdered sugar

Instructions

Prepare the dough
- 1
  Crumble the yeast into a bowl. Add the lukewarm milk and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Mix in the sugar, cardamom and the room temperature butter.
Mix in the flour.
- 1
  Add half of the flour and the salt and stir. Then work in the rest of the flour until you get a smooth dough. Knead for at least 10 minutes for best gluten development.
First fermentation
- 1
  Cover the bowl with a cloth and let rise for about 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
Filling
- 1
  Beat together butter, sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch until fluffy.
Shape the buns
- 1
  Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Spread the filling evenly. Fold the dough into three parts (like a letter) and cut strips about 2 cm wide. Roll into buns and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Second fermentation
- 1
  Let rise under a baking cloth for about 30 minutes.
Bake
- 1
  Brush with beaten egg, top with granulated sugar. Bake in the middle of the oven at 200 °C for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
Syrup
- 1
  Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Brush the buns immediately after they come out of the oven for extra shine and juiciness.

History about the recipe

The cinnamon bun has become a beloved symbol of Swedish baking culture, but its history stretches back a century. Cinnamon itself has been used in baking for hundreds of years, but Sweden’s iconic cinnamon bun was born in the early 20th century.

After the First World War, spices like cinnamon and cardamom became more accessible in Scandinavia. During the 1920s, home baking grew popular as people experimented with richer doughs and sweet spices. However, it was only after the Second World War — when butter, sugar, and flour became more affordable again — that the cinnamon bun truly became a staple in Swedish homes and cafés.

The bun’s classic swirl, sweet aroma, and combination of buttery dough, cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom made it a natural companion to coffee. Over time, it became an essential part of fika, the Swedish coffee break tradition that’s as much about connection as it is about food.

In 1999, Sweden made it official: Kanelbullens dag — Cinnamon Bun Day — was introduced and is celebrated every year on October 4th. Today, cinnamon buns are enjoyed worldwide, but their heart remains in Sweden.